Falling
by VyeLoyomBrightwarrior
Summary: This is an alternate universe. Rush is saved by a woman and he just can't figure out why she's helping him.
1. Rescued

**This is my first SGU story so I hope you guys enjoy it. I would love comments and constructive criticism!**

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He didn't do it. He's well aware how childish that thought is but he didn't do it and he shouldn't be punished for it. Someone stole food from the kitchen. Actually, he's fairly sure they just made up that as an excuse to punish him. Everyone hates him here and he wouldn't be surprised if they just made it up on purpose. "Please," he begs, pulling away as blow after blow lands on his battered body. His attackers just laugh cruelly, jeering at him as he cowers away. Soon he's on the floor, curled in an attempt to protect his vital organs as the master punishes him for something he didn't do.

"You deserve this," his master says, kicking him hard in the shin. He cries in pain but doesn't move his hands downward. If he does they will only kick him in the face. "You useless piece of…"

"I did it!" a shout comes forth. The kicks stop and so he's bold enough to move his hands away and peek up at the stranger. "It's my fault, not his." She looks to him like an angel, her blond hair catching the light as she argues with his tormentors.

"You took food from the kitchens?" they ask her incredulously. She nods but he can tell she hadn't even really know what he'd done until just now. And yet she is still protecting him. He's confused as to why a beautiful lady such as herself would help a wretched member of the lower class like him. He can't fathom that. All he knows is that she is the kindest most beautiful person he's ever meet and even if she doesn't succeed in helping him this once he will be forever grateful.

"I was hungry and got something to eat," she declares. "If I'd known it would be such a problem I would have waited for dinner." She is glaring at them, actually glaring. Most look chastised by her, bowing their heads and looking away in shame. His master doesn't. He holds his ground.

"Good to know," the man says, turning away from the angel to kick him in his currently uncovered face. He cries out and brings his hands up instantly, whimpering as he touches his now broken nose. And then the woman is there, shoving his master away and standing between them. "He's my slave and I can do with him as I will," his master tells the lady, obviously irked.

"I'll buy him," she declares and he feels his head spin. She wants to buy the scrawny no good slave? Confusion and hope tumble together inside him for surely this woman will be a much better master than his current one. His master laughs though and so do the other men. But then she pulls out a check, sprawls some amount on it, and hands it over. It must be a lot because his master stops laughing.

"He's all yours," the man consents, walking away with the others. He uncurls then now the danger is past and she bends down next to him, giving him a soft yet sad smile. He is completely in awe of her, looking up into her eyes as she regards him with kindness. She's the first higher up to ever do that and actually she's the first human who's done it in a really long time.

"Come on," she says, making him realize that he's keeping her waiting. He moves quickly to rise but it's too quickly and his head spins violently in protest. He lurches to the side only to be caught by two strong arms. He looks up into the face of his rescuer as she frowns down at him. "Let's take it slow," she suggest, concern written all over his face.

"Yes ma'am," he agrees, having no choice but to let her help him up. She doesn't seem to mind that she's helping one so beneath her, doesn't seem to mind that his tainted blood is now staining her clothes. She doesn't seem to mind that he has to lean heavily on her just to stay up nor that those they pass in the hallways stare and judge her as they walk toward wherever they are going. She does mind terribly when the doctor asks why he should be healed. She gives him several good reasons why and he quite likes the five she gives when the doctor gets really annoying. Soon after that he has been tended too and they are walking down the halls again until they get to a room.

"Go lay on the bed," she commands and he does as he's told, watching as she moves around the room. It only takes a second for him to realize that they are in the room she's staying in and he is laying on her bed. Fear overcomes him because he knows this is wrong, knows he shouldn't be in her bed. "Close your eyes," she requests and he realizes that she's going to change out of her clothes here in front of him.

"Yes ma'am," he agrees, shutting his eyes tightly and staying stock still on the bed. He wonders what she wants from him and why in the world she would bring someone like him into her room. He can't find a single reason and it bothers him. He can't find a reason for anything she's done, can't find a pattern. This means he won't be able to predict anything she does and if he can't predict her he's in trouble. Masters are always easier to serve when you know what to expect, what they'll do to you. It's easier to avoid pain if you know them. He gets the feeling he'll never get to that point with her and it terrifies him.

"I'm done," she tells him and he takes that as permission to open his eyes. She has changed into a t-shirt and jeans and she is now sitting in the only chair in the room, a book in her hand. She gives him a warm smile. "I'll order room service," she decides after a moment. He can't tell if she's addressing him or not so he doesn't move an inch. "You must be hungry," she says in that annoying tone of voice where he can't tell if it's a statement or a question. Therefore he doesn't know if he should answer or not. She regards him for an instant and he gets the impression that maybe he should respond but then she's talking again. "What's your name?" Well, at least he knew that was a question.

"Nicholas Rush ma'am," he responds instantly. She nods, taking it in.

"What do you like to be called?" she asks. He stares at here for an instant, confused. Half of his owners through the years have merely called him slave, and most of the others just called him Rush because they wanted to. None had ever asked his preference before and in fact he doesn't know what he wants to be called, at least not by higher ups.

"Anything you want ma'am," he replies. She sighs, giving him a look he can't interpret as she reaches for the phone, presumably to call room service.

"Think about it," she tells him as she looks up the number. So she really wants to know what he wants? He doesn't understand it at all. "What do you want to eat?" she quires. He stares at her with even more shock and thinks vaguely that he should be dead from electrocution by now. "Wait," she says before he can respond. "Let me guess. You'll eat anything I want you to ma'am," she states. He has absolutely no idea what to say to that. She sighs. "I'll just order pizza," she decides before dialing the number. He listens as she requests the food, talking just as politely to these real people as she does to him.

"Nicholas ma'am," he states when she gets off the phone. She had said she'd wanted a name so he gave it to her. She smiles at him, seemingly overjoyed by his response. What, had she thought he wouldn't respond? He had to or he'd get in trouble, right? Confusion sweeps through him as she regards him. She frowns then and he begins to wonder why it seems that she can read him like an open book. No one else has before besides one person. Maybe it's just that no one else ever paid enough attention or cared enough.

"Nicholas, I want to try to help you," she states. She wants to help him even more than she already has? He can't even understand why she helped him in the first place and now she wants to do more? It makes absolutely no sense. "We'll get there," she mutters to herself. He isn't quite sure what she means by that but he knows it's in reference to him. "Do you need anything?" she asks him then.

"No ma'am," he answers instinctively. Slaves never need anything from their masters. She just keeps looking at him though and he realizes she knows that answer was reflex and she is waiting for a real one. Well, he's hungry, thirsty, tired, and injured but she's already tended to his wounds and asked him what food he wanted so he can safely assume he'll get a slice of pizza. Hopefully she'll give him water with the food and let him sleep one he's done eating. "Not at the moment ma'am," he amends. She nods, satisfied with that statement.

"Now I'm going to read until the food gets here," she says, settling back into the chair and opening the book. Staring at her would be impolite and the rest of the room is boring so he closes his eyes, intent on trying to sort out everything that happened to him today. Only he's more exhausted than he thought and he's never slept on so comfy a bed. He's fast asleep in mere moments.


	2. Pizza

**Thank you to everyone who is reading this story! I hope you are enjoying it!**

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He wakes to the smell of food and instantly panics. He had fallen asleep. She hadn't given him permission to fall asleep. He sits up and sees her sitting in the chair eating a slice of cheese pizza. She looks up when he moves and smiles at him. "You were pretty tired," she comments. He relaxes slightly as it becomes obvious that she isn't angry at him. "Do you want some?" she asks, gesturing towards the box of pizza. He's learned over the years to never ask for anything from the masters. But this isn't asking, she offered. He remembers how she waited for him to answer honestly earlier and decides she wants him to answer honestly now.

"Yes ma'am," he tells her. She smiles wider, grabbing a paper plate and slipping a slice of pizza on it. He sits dumbfounded as she grabs a water bottle and carries both over to him. The master is serving the slave. Confusion sweeps through him and he frowns. Masters don't bring slaves food. They don't rescue them or get them healed or let them sleep in the master's bed. And they certainly don't smile down cheerfully as you watch them in shock.

"I thought you could start with one piece," she informs him as she sets the plate next to him on the bed and the water on the bedside table. She'd been trying to hand them to him, he realizes, but he'd been so stunned that he'd been unresponsive. She doesn't seem to mind though. She doesn't seem to mind any of the mistakes he's making and he thinks that's why he keeps making more. She's flustering him and practically rewarding him for bad behavior so he naturally has no reason to stop. Well, other than being terrified and uncertain every time he slips up. "You can have more if you're still hungry." He'd been reaching for the plate but he almost drops it as she says that.

"More ma'am?" he quires, eyes wide. He's never even had pizza before and surly this is more than enough food to keep up his scrawny frame. He doesn't know why she'd give him more. She regards him again, studying him like he's been studying her. He gets the feeling that she's been having more success than he has.

"Only if you want it," she says as she walks back to her chair, sitting down again. She doesn't pick up the book though. Instead she continues to watch him as he slips the plate into his lap, looking down at the food. He glances up at her and sees how she's eating the pizza, picking it up by the bread on the edge and then taking bites out of the other end. He copies her, feeling a bit nervous with her watching. The food tastes incredible. He savors the taste, his eyes slipping closed as he marvels at the taste of something that isn't porridge or protein slop. He opens his eyes with a start as he remembers where he is and who else is here. His master has cocked her head as she watches him, an unreadable expression on her face. He shifts uncomfortably and that seems to snap her back to reality.

"You can stop calling me ma'am if you wish," she tells him. He freezes as his head spins, trying to figure out what's going on. Maybe he's finally going crazy. If he isn't then the world is because no master has ever told a slave not to call them ma'am. Wait, maybe she prefers something else like master or mistress or… "My name is Gloria." Wait, what? What does that have to do with what he should call her? Surely she isn't suggesting that he call her by her name, is she?

"I… I'm sorry ma'am but I don't understand," he says. He'll probably get punished for that but it will be better than the punishment he would receive for messing up without informing her that he was confused. She gives him a concerned look as she watches him, frowning at his statement. She doesn't seem mad though so he's not too worried.

"I'm saying Nicholas, that I want you to call me Gloria if you feel comfortable doing so." Oh, he had heard that right. She wants him to use her name. But then she also doesn't want to make him uncomfortable. He frowns as he tries to work all this out. He just can't understand why she's being so nice to him. "Nicholas," she says and he looks up at her. "Nicholas, I'm not going to hurt you. I want you to be safe and happy like every person deserves to be. I'm not trying to toy with you or anything like that. I just want to help you, pure and simple." Looking into her eyes he can't help but believe it even if he doesn't understand it.

"Okay Gloria," he states, the precious angelic name slipping surprisingly easily out of his unworthy mouth. She smiles at him, beaming as though she's just been given a great gift. If his confusion and discomfort are going to result in smiles like that then he wants to be confused and uncomfortable more often.

"Don't forget to eat Nicholas," she chides him gently. He looks down at the food in his hands and shakes his head to clear it. It's not his fault that she's so kind and beautiful and perfect. She's utterly distracting so he can hardly help it if he forgets to eat his food. He takes another delicious bite and she smiles at him before eating some more of her own pizza. He lets his left hand fall to the bed spread as he eats. He begins drawing patterns with it on the quilt as he thinks through a math equation which he shouldn't know how to do.

No, that wasn't right. He flattens his palm on the bed spread, rubbing the area flat before resuming calculations at where he messed up, his finger tracing numbers on the bed. Yes, this was better. This was… "Nicholas?" He looks up to meet his master's questioning gaze. He follows her line of sight to his left hand. "What are you doing?" He swallows back fear, griping the pizza tightly in his hand as she waits for a response.

"Math," he finally chocks out, too afraid to utter more than one syllable. He knows he isn't supposed to know how to do math but he had picked it up and now he can't stop himself from doing it. He's managed to keep it a secret for a while. Well, his masters typically knew that he had learned math but none had known that the kept up with it. Until now.

"Math?" she asks him curiously, already moving to grab a pen and paper. She brings over the items that he hasn't gotten a chance to use in years and sets them in front of him. "Would you mind showing me?" she asks. He shakes his head as he sets the pizza down, accepting the offered supplies. He tries to remember how to hold the pen correctly and luckily muscle memory from decades ago kicks in. He sprawls out the problem he'd been working on and finishes solving much faster than normal due to actually being about to see the numbers. His master looks down at the page, shock written on her face. "Nicholas Rush," she repeats his name as she pulls a phone out of her pocket. He watches her as she does something with the device.

"I'm sorry ma'am," he starts to explain, knowing she can't be happy about any of this. "I didn't mean to learn math ma'am, and I promise I won't use it. Just… please. Don't send me to someone else." She is only half listening to him as she continues to fiddle with the phone. It takes a second for what he's said to register but then she lifts her head and frowns at him.

"Nicholas I told you I want to help you," she reminds him. "I'm not mad at you for knowing math." He frowns, unable to come up with any other reason for her to be looking at her phone like that but he nods in agreement to her statement. She gives him a look that says she knows what he's thinking but then she goes back to the phone. "Child prodigy," she says as though reading word for word off the phone. She scans the thing some more before looking up at him. "Nicholas, do you remember Mr. Bruce?" she asks him.

"Yes ma'am," he informs her. He could never forget the nice looking man who turned out to be just as mean as all the other higher class people. The man had tried to get Nick to come with him and become something other than what he was but Nick didn't want to be someone else and he'd turned the man down. He rubs his arm where the ugly brand is hidden and his master catches sight of it.

"Nicholas, you could still have everything he offered you," she says. He shakes his head instantly, backing away from her a bit. She must be just like Mr. Bruce, only being nice so she might try and trick him into doing what she wants. Well he won't. He won't do this because he can't do this. It's a betrayal and he refuses, no matter what she does to him for it. "It's alright," she assures him instantly. "You don't have to." She looks confused but he has studied masters enough to know when they are being sincere and she is. He forces himself to relax.

"You won't sell me?" he questions before he can stop himself, hating the way he sounds like a desperate scared little child.

"No Nicholas," she informs him. "I won't ever sell you unless you want me to." He can't think of any reason he'd want that, but he relaxes, finding himself smiling for the first time in a long time. He likes her. She is the nicest person he's ever meet and he doesn't want to ever leave her. She smiles back at him, shaking her head at him. "You're the oddest person I've ever meet," she tells him, but there is an unmistakable fondness in her voice that makes him know it's a complement. He stops smiling though, getting serious as he regards his rescuer.

"You are the nicest I've ever meet," he tells her. She seems a bit startled by that, but happy too. She gives him another one of those beaming smiles that he realizes he's already becoming addicted to as she regards him. "Thank you," he adds because she is giving him safety and comfort and positive human interaction and all the other things he's always craved but never had. He owes her his life and he's more than willing to do anything for her now.

"Don't worry," she tells him. "You won't ever be abused again as long as I live." And despite all the pain he's been through in his life, despite the hard learned lessons telling him not to trust other human beings, he believes her.


	3. Guardian Angel

**Thank you to everyone who has read an reveiwed! I means so much! This chapter has a trigger warning for rape/ non-con. Nothing actually happens, it's only hinted that people want to do it actually, but I felt I should put the warning here none the less. I hope you enjoy!**

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They walk down the street coming home from her concert. He has nothing to say but praise as they walk and she is smiling broadly as he comments on everything he liked about the concert. He's been with her a year now and he'd think she'd get tired of his comments but she doesn't. She enjoys them every single time and so he keeps saying them and thus gets to keep enjoying her beautiful smile.

"… and the way the light caught off your bow as you did the fast runs…" he is saying when suddenly he sees them. He stills because he knows the look of these men. They have the look of predators. She follows his gaze and frowns herself, obviously just as aware as he is that danger is here. The men come forward, eyeing Gloria and fear starts to fade a bit, being replaced by anger. If they dare lay one hand on her head…

"Hey beautiful," one says, coming closer. He wants to back up when he sees how strong the guy looks but Gloria holds her ground and thus so does he. "Where are you headed?"

"Nowhere with you," she tells him pointedly as the other men start to surround them. He gets closer to Gloria, partially to protect her and partially so that she might protect him. The men only grin at her statement, undeterred. He frowns angrily as the one steps forward.

"That's what you think," the man says as he grabs the wrist of the hand that tried to slap him. Nick refuses to stand here and let them hurt her and a rage boils up in him. He runs forward, shoving the man backward into his allies before grabbing Gloria's hand and running with her in tow. They get past the pile of tangled limbs he caused and he pulls her towards a small diner. It's lit and there are some people inside, enough to deter the men running after them from following. One problem: the men are running faster than them.

He listens to the footsteps as he moves the arm gripping Gloria's hand, forcing her to draw level with him instead of slightly behind. When he hears the footsteps are too close he lets go of his master's hand and stops running, turning around. The man had been reaching for her but he runs into Nick instead. Nick skids back a few steps and hears Gloria stopping. "Get help!" he shouts at her, pleading. He couldn't bare it if she got hurt and besides, there is no way the two of them could take on all these men. He hears her start running again. Now there are five men in front of them and it seems they can tell they won't catch her in time.

"You cost us our fun slave," one tells him. The start to surround him and it's happened enough times to him that he knows what they are going to do. Fear grips him but he's surrounded and there is nowhere to go.

"Looks like we'll have to have fun with you instead," another man says as the circle closes in on him. He tries to fight when one punches him in the back. He tries to struggle because these aren't his masters and this isn't a punishment. This is an attack. So he tries to fight but they just laugh as one catches his wrists and ties them together before tossing him backwards into the arms of waiting men. It's harder to struggle after that so soon he finds himself on the ground like he used to, curled protectively around vital organs.

"No you don't," someone hisses and then he's dragged to his feet and held there as the ones not holding him take turns punching him in the gut and face until he's a pathetic sobbing mess of pain. He is dropped to the ground before he registers the sound of sirens and the flashing lights. His world starts to go dark and he knows this is the end. He's going to die. At least the last year has been nice. Not a bad way to die, going out after all that happiness. He just hopes Gloria is alright. That's his last thought before darkness claims him.

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He wakes to pain and he moans a bit. He realizes he's on a bed and so he opens his eyes just in time to see Gloria coming over. "Oh Nicholas," she says, voice filled with sorrow as she gently grasps his hand. "Look at you." She looks so distressed that he instantly and instinctively knows he must try to comfort her.

"I'm fine," he assures because he is. He's alive which he had thought impossible and he's still with her. "They didn't hurt you did they?" he asks, worried. He needs to know she's alright more than he has ever needed to know anything before.

"I'm fine," she tells him almost bitterly as she sits in the chair by the side of the bed. He realizes then that he is in a hospital. Gloria has had him taken to the hospital. It's something that rarely happens to slaves and so he's rather shocked. He's about to comment on it, to thank her, but then she's talking again. "I promised you you'd never be abused so long as I lived and now look at you." He frowns at that, in total disagreement of her assessment.

"Assaulted," he states. She looks at him in confusion. "What they did was assault, not abuse. When a master hurts a slave or lets others do it that's abuse. When men you don't know come out of nowhere and start threatening you before beating you up that's an attack. Two different things." She stares at him for a minute before a small smile finally appears on her face.

"You are too forgiving, I fear," she tells him. She looks like she's still beating herself up about this and he absolutely hates to see her like this. She is happy that he isn't mad but he can tell she still blames herself, is still mad at herself for what happened to him as if she was in a position to be able to stop it.

"No I'm not because I'm not forgiving you," he tells her. Her eyes get wide and sad, making him realize how that came off. He rushes to fix it. "I can't forgive you Gloria because there is nothing to forgive." She starts to speak, to protest. If this had happened even earlier today he would have shut up, would have been mortified at how he is talking to her. Now though he isn't. He wonders vaguely if the drugs he is undoubtedly on have affected his thought process. Probably. He still interrupts before she can continue. "What were you supposed to do against a group of large aggressive men?" he asks her.

"I could have fought, like you," she tells him. "I should never have let them hurt you." She looks so upset, so mad at herself. Nick doesn't know how to fix it, but he knows he has to try. Seeing her like this hurts him so much more than the wounds ever could.

"Then we'd probably both be lying dead in a ditch somewhere," he points out. She seems to struggle with that idea as reason tries to overrule her emotions. "Someone had to go for help and I am and forever will be glad it was you." Her head snaps up and she stares at him. "You don't deserve to be hurt like this. You shouldn't have to know how this feels like."

"Neither do you," she tells him. He doesn't actually believe that, but saying as much will only make her argue with him more and that's not the way he wants this conversation to go.

"But I already do know what it feels like," he tells her, hating the way her face falls in deep sadness at his admission. "And the fewer people who know, the better. You did the right thing Gloria, getting help. Besides, if I'd tried I probably would have been arrested as a runaway and you would be dead and I'd have a new master." She considers his logic, finally nodding in agreement. It's only then when he feels just how tired he has become.

"Alright Nicholas," she says. "You win." He smiles triumphantly before a yawn escapes him. She smiles at that. "You should rest," she tells him. But he doesn't want to rest. The wounds remind him of previous masters and suddenly he fears this has all been a dream. The angel isn't real and if he falls asleep he's going to wake up and she'll be gone. He grips her hand tightly at the suggestion and she grips it back, giving him an encouraging smile.

"I won't go anywhere," she promises him gently. And somehow that relaxes him. He believes her like he did a year ago and he lets the peace her presence brings sooth him into the dream world. He isn't aware that she falls asleep soon after him, clutching his hand still in slumber. And neither would ever guess that they both dream of guardian angels, only they have different faces. One male and one female the angels watch over their charges and thus each other.


	4. Together Forever

**Thanks again to everyone! I hope you guys are enjoying the story. As you can see I time jump a bit so if there is ever anything you want to see happen feel free to prompt me and I'll do a one shot or something. So, here is the next chapter!**

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He sits working on math, pages upon pages sprawled before him. Gloria is sitting off to the side, playing her violin. He's been with her for a couple years now and she has kept her word. He hasn't been abused in all this time, physically or otherwise. Though he keeps finding himself wishing she would abuse him in one area. He always pushes those thoughts away instantly though because there is no way she would ever want to be with him like that. He works out the random problem he made out instead before staring at the answer. His handwriting had taken on a different look for the answer and he wonders why. Then he blushes as he looks at it.

"Nick?" she questions, stopping her music to check on him after seeing his pause. He looks over at her before ducking his head back down as he realizes he is blushing.

"I'm fine," he tells her as she comes closer, trying to sweep the page under some others. She gets there too fast though and snatches it out of his grip. He panics even more when he realizes he had written in red pen. Fate seems to be on his side today though because then the doorbell rings. He relaxes a bit in relief at the sound.

"Don't think this is over," Gloria tells him as she goes off to the door, paper still in hand. He sighs as he tries to prepare an explanation for his subconscious brain.

"You need to sell him," he hears the angry voice of Gloria's dad. An age old argument that Gloria always handles with far more grace then he could ever muster. "No one wants to be friends with you because of the way you interact with him. You need to either treat him worse or sell him." When this happened years ago he would get scared and think that Gloria would listen to her father. Now though he knows better.

"My answer hasn't changed since yesterday," she states patiently but firmly. Her father starts listing off other ways he is negatively affecting her life and he feels a bit bad about that. He is keeping her from getting better jobs, from making good friends. He is stunting her growth. He's not guilty enough to request she sell him though. He's far too selfish for that and besides, he tried it a year ago. She had told him then that he mattered more to her than all that other stuff and she wasn't going to let him go because he thought he was stunting her growth. He hasn't brought it up since.

"I don't get it," she says as she walks back into the room and he sighs with relief. She glares at him, waving the paper in his direction threateningly. "If you don't explain this then I'm not going to play the violin," she states. He groans. She has him now. He always does his best thinking when she plays. He sighs as he takes the paper from her, moving over a bit so she can see what he is doing.

"I didn't do it on purpose," he informs her as he boxes the answer for her. He looks at her and sees she is still clueless, studying the page trying to ascertain the meaning of i 3u. He rewrites it, emphasizing different things this time: i 3 u. When she still doesn't get it he colors in the area between the and the 3.

"I love you," she finally gets it, looking down at him.

"Like I said, it means nothing really," he starts to ramble, a stupid blush giving him away even as he continues trying to dig his way out of this. "It's just some math problem and the answer is completely irrelevant to anything, just a fluke and…"

"Nick," she interrupts and he realizes his rambling is probably just as much a giveaway as the redness in his cheeks. "Do you love me?" she asks him. He looks up into her eyes and knows instantly that he can't lie to her.

"I've loved you since the very first moment I saw you," he tells the woman who has made him her equal. She gives him one of those beaming smiles of hers and leans in a bit closer.

"I love you too Nick," she tells him, stunning him. The most perfect person on the face of the earth loves him? He doesn't question it though, just accepts his amazing good fortune as he smiles back at her. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you," she tells him then. He frowns in confusion.

"I thought that was already the plan," he states. She doesn't respond with words, instead leaning closer until her lips brush with his, ever so slightly. She moves back soon after as he watches her, barely daring to hope he's interpreted that correctly.

"We need to find a priest willing to break some laws," she informs him and his heart stills as he realizes that she wants to marry him. Gloria wants to illegally marry him, not just be together; actually marry him. He finds himself staring at her in awe and she giggles at him before losing confidence and frowning. "That is… if you want to," she says, unsure. He curses his abnormally slow mind for taking too long to process as he comes up with the right words to say.

"Gloria, nothing would make me happier in all the world," he finally tells her and she beams, letting him know he has picked the right words. He smiles in response as she jumps up and down in excitement, pulling him out of his chair. "But you'd be giving up so much," he tells her. Her family won't be there, she won't be able to marry someone better than him, and she'd have a secret to keep from the whole world. If it ever got out she'd be mocked shunned and ridiculed at the least, possibly even made a slave like him.

"I don't care," she informs him, looking deep into his eyes so she can get her point across to him. "All I want is you," she says. He can't help but draw her into a hug after that sentiment. "Besides, I've always wanted a small wedding," she proclaims. He laughs at the unexpected comment.

"I think you'll get your wish," he tells her. And she does.

The wedding takes place in a small church building on a Monday. Gloria claims that the priest looks like him but neither he nor Father McAvoy can see the resemblance. Some other people are there as well to bear witness, all of them employees of this church which seems to think there should be no slaves. It will be a fairly traditional wedding save they won't be giving each other rings. Slaves don't have rings and Gloria refuses to wear one if he can't. So when he sees a boy who looks like a ring bearer coming down the aisle he shoots her a look. She gives him a mischievous smile so her turns back to look at the ring bearer to see he isn't bearing rings at all but simple chain linked bracelets.

They say the traditional vows; he'd been too nervous about coming up with words worthy enough for her. They slip the bracelets on each other's wrists and he thinks that they are better than any rings they could have bought. "I now pronounce you man and wife," the priest says and suddenly he's smiling the biggest smile he's ever smiled in his life as he looks at the one woman who has always cared for him. "You may kiss the bride." He leans over, banishing the smile so he can kiss her the way she kissed him when they admitted their love for each other. She kisses him back before they pull apart, the few assembled people clapping for them.

They go home and he has the most glorious (no pun intended) night of his entire life. He lays awake in their bed afterwards, watching her sleep peacefully and he knows this is all he ever wants. This is all he could ever ask for and so much more. His life never should have gotten to this point. He shouldn't have been given this perfect wonderful life with his perfect angel. He doesn't deserve her and he knows that but in a way that makes it better. Knowing exactly what he has will make him savor it for all eternity. He will thoroughly enjoy every moment he has with his wife until the day he dies. For some reason it doesn't occur to him that she might die first.


	5. Dealing with the Past

**Thanks to everyone who is still reading and special thanks to wintersmith for reviewing! I really do appreciate it. There is some torture in this but it's vague. I hope you guys are enjoying it!**

* * *

They sit in the room on the spaceship that will take them to Icarus base. He is nervous and excited at the same time. They discovered his ability for math just a bit ago. The military had almost taken him away from Gloria to force him to work for them and that had been the scariest time of his life. But she had insisted that he was hers and she wasn't going to sell him. The compromise was that she was coming with him. He is obviously nervous about how he'll be treated but he's also excited to learn about things, to study the things they'll tell him as he helps solve problems. This is his chance to work with other scientists and he'd never thought he'd get that.

"They'll bully you," Gloria warns him. He turns and sees she's a bundle of emotions as well. The prevailing one seems to be concern for him but he can also see that she's happy and excited for him too. He smiles at her encouragingly.

"I know," he informs her. "It'll be worth it though. Discovering secrets of the universe, Gloria can you imagine?" She shakes her head at him and laughs. At least he's gotten her to relax.

"Sometimes Nick," she says as she continues shaking her head.

"Sometimes you love me?" he quires. She laughs and swats his arm playfully.

"I love you all the time silly," she tells him. He grins and leans in, giving her a kiss.

"I love you all the time too," he makes sure she knows. "But really Gloria, I'll be fine. I've dealt with jerk higher class people before you know, and this time you'll be there to help me." She makes an effort to relax and he decides to help her, moving behind where she's sitting on the bed and massaging her shoulders.

"I am glad you get to do this," she lets him know as she leans into his touch. "I just worry."

"I know Mom," he jokes, laughing as she turns to give him a mock glare before moving back to her original position so that he can continue the massage. "This will be good though. I won't make any friends but I can learn more. I can finally do what I love with others and I know people will hate and use me but this is a huge opportunity and…"

"Nick, we have to go," she reminds him with a laugh. "You don't have to sell it to me." He chuckles a bit too, turning the massage into a hug so he can pull her close.

"It is going to be weird," he admits. "The other time adult higher ups saw me doing math was probably the worst time of my life." Gloria tenses a bit in his arms and he knows it's because he never talks about his past much. She pulls out of his arms then, turning to face him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asks him gently.

"Yeah," he says, surprising himself. "I think I do. It all started when I was eight."

* * *

_He sat with his dad in the slave compound, listening as his dad told him a story. Just then the masters came in and they had to stand up and bow their heads to look at the floor. Nick didn't understand why they had to do these things, why these people were better than them. All he knew was that if he didn't do as he was told his dad usually got hurt. So even though Nick didn't agree with the way the world worked he followed its rules. "Nicholas Rush," they called his name. He stepped forward out of the lineup, trying hard not to tremble. To his knowledge, he hadn't done anything wrong._

_A man he had never seen before came and knelt in front of him. "Look at this," he commanded. Nick raised his head and frowned when he saw his master's homework, the work his master had made him do instead. "Now it's very important that you don't lie," the man informed him. "Did you do this?" Fear came over him and he wanted to deny it but they would find out because they always found out everything and then his situation would get that much worse._

_"Yes sir," he said. All the masters exchanged glances he couldn't interpret and that made him terrified. "I was told to sir," he added. The man gave him a reassuring smile and that startled him but it also calmed him down a bit._

_"Could you do some more?" the man asked, holding out another worksheet and a pencil. Oh, they just wanted him to work more. That was all. Relief flooded through him as he took the offered supplies._

_"Yes sir," he agreed. And then he frowned as he realized he would need to lay on the floor to write properly. "Sir, might I lay on the floor to write?" he asked. He always hated asking questions for he usually got in trouble for it, but this time it couldn't be helped. And the man before him didn't seem mad at all, he just smiled gently._

_"Do whatever you need to," he urged. Nick smiled before slipping down to the floor. He held the pencil the way his master had taught him before starting on the homework. He soon lost himself in the equations, slipping into another world as he solved the problems with ease. He didn't even really notice when another paper was slide next to the first but he did start to work on it once he was done with the first. He worked and worked until finally he couldn't solve a problem. He paused and fear took over again as he realized that the masters would get mad at him for not finishing._

_"Problem?" the man asked. He trembled in fear as he nodded._

_"Yes sir," he agreed, swallowing hard. He hoped they wouldn't hurt him but even more than that they hoped they wouldn't hurt his dad. His dad had been unwell lately and he didn't need to be hurt on top of it._

_"That's alright," the man assured as he picked up the page, looking over Nick's work. The stack of papers in his hand showed that he'd looked over the rest of Nick's work already. "Nicholas…" the man started to say. But just then there was an all too familiar moan behind him and he turned in time to see his dad falling. _

* * *

_"Dad!" he screamed out, every other thought leaving his mind as he ran over to him. "Dad!" he cried again, trying to roll the man over so he could see him. He would later discover all his efforts had been in vain. His dad had already succumbed to harsh wounds and lack of food._

_He sat in the room with the man who asked him to do the homework. The man had said his name was Mr. Bruce. Nick couldn't bring himself to care. "Nicholas, with your talent you could become a normal citizen," Mr. Bruce told him. He didn't react, opting to try and memorize the pattern of the wall behind Mr. Bruce instead. "You could learn math and go to school." Nick frowned. Only masters went to school. Therefore normal citizen must have meant master. Well, Nick didn't want to be a master._

_"No sir," he stated. Mr. Bruce looked at him, taken aback._

_"You don't want to be normal?" he asked. Nick thought about how mean the normal people always were. He thought about how selfish and cruel they were to everyone not normal. He thought about how they killed his dad. Nick didn't want to be like them. If that was what normal meant he didn't want to be normal. He wanted to be gentle and kind and caring like his father. His father who had died not normal. _

_"No sir," he affirmed. Anger flared in the once kind eyes of the man before him and Nick shrunk back in fear._

_"You will by the time I'm done with you," the man had promised. The man was wrong. He just ended up giving Nick scares, a brand on his arm to mark him as a stubborn foolish slave, and one more reason to not want to be normal. And so he had vowed to never be normal ever. He wouldn't dishonor his dad that way. He would be abnormal until the day he died or until the day the definition of normal changed, whichever came first._

* * *

Gloria reaches up and thumbs the tears he didn't know he was shedding off of his cheeks. He leans into her then and finds himself sobbing. She holds him close as he cries for the father he lost all those years ago. He sobs for the injustice being done to everyone in the lower class. He sobs for the injustice done to him. He sobs and sobs until he can't anymore and then he pulls back. "You're the only person besides my dad who cared," he tells her then. She looks sad that he's been crying but she manages a small smile.

"I am honored to be one of the only two people to ever know the real Nicholas Rush," she tells him. Honored? He thinks that might be a wee bit strong but he doesn't argue. "Thanks for sharing" she adds and he smiles at his perfect wife.

"I love you Gloria," he tells her. She smiles back at him.

"I love you Nick." And that's when they drop out of FTL. A new adventure awaits them and Nick is eager to get started but also a bit nervous. After the story he just relayed he has a bad feeling about this. He pushes it aside, labeling it as nerves. Soon they are being shown around the base and told all about the ninth chevron and so he forgets his bad feeling. That is until a few weeks later when Gloria is diagnosed with cancer.


	6. Hurt

**I hope you guys are enjoying this story. There is some wounds from torture in this chapter so you've been warned.**

* * *

He is lying face down on his bed totally and utterly exhausted from being forced to stay awake for hours and the whipping he got earlier for… actually he can't remember what it was for this time. He knows whatever it was it wasn't his fault though. Honestly he's starting to suspect that they make up things just so they can have the pleasure whipping him. They've grown bold with Gloria gone on earth to get treated for cancer. When she was here she convinced them to never lay a hand on him but now? Now that she's dying they hurt and abuse him as if he needs to go through more.

She asks about him. They let her have a correspondence with him after she threatened to sue so they still talk. He tells her he's fine though. She needs to worry about beating cancer not about him being whipped for the mistakes the science team makes. He makes stuff up. She knows it's hard for him being here without her and so anything uncharacteristic he passes off as missing her and feeling lonely. Part of him feels bad for tricking her and another part thinks he's stupid for not getting her to help him. Still, he knows she has bigger things to worry about so he never tells her.

A knock sounds at his door and he moves to answer it. No one ever really knocks except that other slave girl Ginn, and she is probably here to help him tend to his wounds. They do that for each other since no one else will. He opens the door and sees a woman there but it isn't the one he was expecting. "Gloria!" he cries in shock and joy, grabbing her and pulling her into a hug before pulling back so quickly that she doesn't have time to hug him back. "That wig looks almost as good as you hair," he tells her. He sees the joy in her eyes at seeing him but there is sorrow there too and he deflates. He has a guess at what she'll say but he doesn't want to know. "Gloria?" he asks.

"I'm dying Nick," she tells him. He feels a bit dizzy and leans against the doorframe for support. "There is nothing the doctors can do," she adds. He shakes his head. No, not Gloria. She can't die. Out of all the cruel and heartless people in the world why is it that the kindest and most perfect person is the one that has to die? "But I still have a few months," she tells him, moving closer. "I came back to spend them with you." She wraps him in a hug then and he hisses, involuntarily pulling back in pain. "Nick?" she questions, voice laced with half worry half command as she stares him down.

"It isn't important right now," he tells her, moving in to hug her closely. "You're dying and…" She stops him by holding her arms out, keeping him at bay from his hug. He lets his arms fall limp at his sides as she regards him with anger.

"Nicholas," she says sternly. He sighs, fiddling with his bracelet as he tries to find the right words. Really, how do you tell your wife that you've been being whipped by military personal while she's been off fighting cancer? And then he hears a startled sound by the door. He and Gloria both turn to see Ginn standing there with healing supplies in hand. Gloria's eyes travel to the supplies then back to him and he tenses a bit. This would not have been his preferred way to tell her what's been happening.

"I'm sorry ma'am," Ginn addresses Gloria, bowing her head in submission. Gloria turns back to Ginn.

"Don't worry," she says in her gentlest tone. "You're helping Nick, aren't you?" Ginn's hair is blocking her face but Nick can tell she's confused from her posture and the pure and simple fact that any slave would be. Gloria looks slightly exasperated. Part of it is because of him he knows but he also knows that she hates it when slaves address her like this.

"Ginn she's practically one of us," he tell her before she can respond to his wife. She looks up at him in utter shock that he's spoken out of turn before realizing what she's done. She bows her head again and he sighs. "Ginn, you can look up with Gloria," he tells her. "Treat her like she's your equal. That's how she likes it." Ginn looks up slowly and glances at Gloria. She looks very confused but at least it doesn't look like she's going to go full blown submissive on them again.

"Nick," Gloria says again, seeming to need to know what is going on now that Ginn isn't staring at the floor. He shifts uncomfortably as he tries and fails to come up with the right words. Yeah, the right words don't exactly want to come to him at the moment. He'll have to make do with subpar words.

"I've been being whipped," he lets her know, eyes on the floor since he can't bear to see her face. He hurries to explain himself, rambling in the hope that she'll understand. "I was going to tell you but you were dealing with so much and I didn't want you to have to worry about me because I wanted you to focus on getting better and I know you're angry with me but I really was just trying to do what I thought was best and I tried to stay out of trouble, really I did, but every time any mistake is made they all blame me and it doesn't matter what I do but I tried and I only did it to help you." He realizes just how desperate and stupid he sounds so he stops there, catching his breath.

"Oh Nick," she says, coming and placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. "I understand," she tells him. "I forgive you." He knows she's still mad. He knows she still wishes he'd said something. But she understands and forgives him and he knows that's all he needs. He hugs her then and she lets him, not hugging back for fear of his injuries.

"Nick?" Ginn asks, sounding terrified. She is being brave speaking out of turn like this he knows and so he pulls back from Gloria and gives her a small encouraging smile. "I really ought to tend to your back, if that's alright with you ma'am."

"Of course," Gloria agrees instantly. Nick goes back over to his bed and slowly lifts his shirt off on the way, hating Gloria's pained gasp as he does so. He lays down flat on the bed and Ginn comes over, kneeling on the floor as she gets out the supplies. Gloria comes up and sits on the bed by his head. He glances at her and sees that she's not looking at him, the wounds probably too much for her to bare. He reaches out and grabs her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"I'm going to clean your back now," Ginn warns him. He nods in acknowledgement. They always warn each other because it always hurts terribly and they need to be prepared. He tenses as the wet cloth touches his back, a hiss of pain escaping his lips as he grips the pillow tightly in one hand, refusing to squeeze Gloria too tightly. "You shouldn't have done that," Ginn tells him and he frowns. She must be talking about whatever he did to get himself hurt again but he honestly can't remember. "I can handle myself." Oh, right. That again.

"What did you do?" Gloria asks him as Ginn gently cleans his wounds and wipes away the bit of blood that has already managed to dry. He steadies his breathing so he can talk to his wife.

"Her master isn't exactly the…" He is forced to pause as Ginn starts on a particularly nasty wound, his grip on the pillow and his wife's hand both tightening involuntarily. Gloria makes a concerned sound but the minute he can he starts speaking again. "…the celibate type." Ginn pauses for a minute and he thinks she probably doesn't know what the word means. Gloria however does and her hand stiffens in his own. He glances up at her face to see the furious look there. "He hasn't actually done anything yet," he assures her.

"Because of you," Gloria states. He would shrug if he could but the position he's in doesn't lend itself to that.

"Punishing me is apparently more fun," he informs her.

"Only when you insult him," Ginn accuses, obviously becoming more and more relaxed with Gloria. Still, he wishes she wasn't quite that relaxed yet. He doesn't want Gloria to get mad at him after all. Too late though it seems.

"You insult him?" Gloria asks, tone unreadable. He tries to turn to see her better but Ginn presses gently on an unharmed part of his shoulder to keep him from doing so. Apparently his squirming isn't very helpful.

"How else am I supposed to make him angry?" he asks her. Gloria sighs and he knows she'd argue but for the fact that they both know what he's doing is worth it. "Besides, everything I say is true," he informs her. Ginn giggles, undoubtedly remembering some of his witty comments that he himself has already forgotten. Though he can't help but smile either as he remembers using his quick wit to go up against the moron's crudely spouted curse words.

"What am I to do with you?" Gloria sighs. Ginn freezes in her work again, undoubtedly worried that Gloria is going to punish him somehow. He knows better of course and he decides to joke back.

"Love me forever?" he asks, wincing internally afterwards as he remembers just how short forever is going to be.

"No matter where I go and what happens I will always love you, till the day I die and beyond," she promises, the serious note in her voice letting him know that she caught on to the sad sentiment as well.

"Disinfectant," Ginn warns, her tone of voice indicating that she hadn't wanted to interrupt. He shifts, moving his hand from Gloria's to clutch the pillow with both. Disinfectant is always the most painful part and he doesn't want to hurt her.

"Ready," he comments before clenching his jaw, willing himself not to make a sound. The next few minutes pass by in a haze of pain during which he barely manages to keep himself from screaming. But then that's over and Ginn starts on the bandages. He sighs in relief and Gloria takes his hand back in hers.

"Don't worry Nick," she tells him, squeezing his hand a bit. "I won't let anyone hurt either of you anymore." He takes comfort in that, squeezing her hand back. That night he has the most peaceful sleep he's had in months despite the fact he's worried for Gloria. She has several months after all and he is going to enjoy his time with her, not spend it worrying about something he can't control. Besides, things on the base are finally going to start looking up for him again with her back. Everything is going to be fine, at least for the next few months. He chooses to believe everything is fine. After all, Gloria is already dying from cancer. What else could go wrong?


End file.
